The defeat of Karna

Dhritarashtra said What heroes of my army resisted the mighty Bhimasena when he was thus roaring like clouds surcharged with thunder?

O Sanjaya, I do not find that warrior in the three worlds, who can, stand before Bhimasena when he is excited with rage.

I do not, O son, find that warrior who can stand before Bhima when in battle with his mace uplifted, he stands like Death incarnate.

He that slays elephants with elephants, destroys cars with cars, who will stand before that Bhima not excepting Indra of hundredsacrifices?

Who amongst those devoted to the interests of Duryodhana, would withstand Bhimasena in battle, excited as he was with wrath and engaged in slaughtering my sons?

Or What persons, stood before the Bhimaconflagration when it was engaged in consuming the heaps of straw and grass constituted by my sons?

Who were they that surrounded Bhima in battle, beholding him crush my sons one after another, like Death's self-destroying all creatures?

I do not fear Arjuna or Krishna or Satyaki him born of the sacrificial fire (Dhrishtadyumna) so much as I do Bhimasena.

O Sanjaya relate to me, what heroes advanced against the blazing Bhima-fire which so greatly consumed by sons?

Sanjaya said When the mighty car-warrior Bhimasena was thus roaring, the mighty Karna rushed at him, himself uttering a loud shout (in response).

Unable to bear the roar of Bhima, he began to twang his bow capable of withstanding a great strain. Then the mighty Karna, out of a । desire for battle displaying his strength.

Checked the career of Bhima; then beholding the son of Vikartana stand before him with hostile intentions, Vrikodara.

Became inflamed with wrath; and that mighty hero discharged at him numerous shafts whetted on stone. Karna received all those shafts and sped many in return.

In that battle between Bhima and Karna, hearing the sound of their Palm-strokes, the limbs of on-looking and fighting warriors and horsemen and elephants, began to tremble. Hearing the deafening roars uttered by Bhimasena on the field of battle.

The foremost of the Kshatriyas regarded the welkin and the earth to be filled completely by its echo. Then again at the dreadful cries uttered by the illustrious son of Pandu.

The bows of all the warriors fell down on the earth. Then, O mighty monarch, seized with, panic and dejected, the steeds and elephants, repeatedly discharged urine and excreta. Numerous dreadful omens of evil then appeared to view.

During that fierce fight between Karna and Bhimasena, the sky became covered with flights of vultures and Kankas.

Karna then pierced Bhima with twenty arrows and next swifty pierced the latter's charioteer with five arrows.

Then the highly puissant Bhimasena endued with great activity smilingly sped at Karna in that battle a set of sixty-four arrows.

Then at him, O mighty monarch, Karna shot four arrows. But before these arrows could reach him, with nine arrows of depressed knots, Bhima.

Cut them in numerous parts, displaying at the same time his great lightness of hands. Karna then shrouded him in a net-work of numerous arrows.

Thus although shrouded by Karna on all sides, that mighty car-warrior that son of Pandu, cut-off the bow of Karna near his grasp.

He then pierced him with many arrows of close knots. Then taking up another bow and stringing it, the son of the charioteer.

That mighty car-warrior of dreadful deeds, pierced Bhima in battle (with many arrows). Thereat highly enraged, with three arrows of depressed knots, Bhima..

Struck with force on the breast of the son of the charioteer. With those arrows struck on the centre of his breast, Karna appeared beautiful like.

A mighty mountain with its three peaks towering high. Pierced as he was with those excellent arrows, streams of blood began to flow down his person.

Like streams of liquefied red chalk flowing down the sides of a mountain. Afflicted with that might wound inflicted by Bhima, Karna was a little flurried.

Then fixing an arrow on his bow, O sire, he pierced Bhima therewith; and then shot arrows by hundreds and thousands.

Thus through then quickly covered with arrows by that resolute bowman namely Karna, yet that son of Pandu smilingly cut-off the bow-string of the former.

Then with a broad-headed shaft, Bhima dispatched Karna's charioteer to the abode of Death; then that mighty car-warrior deprived the latter's steeds of their lives.

Jumping down from the car of which the steeds were slain, O ruler of men, the mighty car-warrior Karna ascended the chariot of Vrisasena.

Then the valiant Bhima, having defeated Karna uttered a loud war-cry, that resembled the roar of the rain-cloud Parjannya.

Hearing that roar of his, Yudhishthira became filled with delight, as he thought that Karna had been defeated, O Bharata by Bhimasena.

Then the Pandava troops simultaneously blew their conchs. Hearing that sound of challenge emitted by the enemy, your own troops shouted aloud.

Pritha's son, (Arjuna) then twanged his bow and Krishna blew his water-born conch. But drowning all those sounds, the shout of Bhima rose and

Was heard by all your troops, O sire. Then those two combatants, viz., Karma and Bhima each struck the other with straight-flying arrows. The son of Radha shot his shaft mildly, but the son of Pandu shot those of his with great vehemence.